Exercising device.



G. W. SHERIDAN.

EXERCISING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14. I915.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Taxi/2e $6,

a; wzwv Z7 5mm GEORGE w. SHERIDAN, or wmrrmor, massnonusnrrs.

7 .EXERCISING DEVICE.

; Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July a, 19.16.

. Application filed October-.14, 1915. -Seria1No. 55,877.

I To all whom itrmag concern v.Be it known that I, Gnome W. SHERIDAN, a. citizen of the vUnited States, residing at l/Vinthrop, in. the. county of. Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have inventedan Improvement in Exercising Devices, of which the following is a. specification.

. The present invention relates to an improved exercising.-device,;.and is. especially designed for developing the'muscles .of the wrist and forearm, although all of' the muscles of the hands. and arms are more or less brought into :action. The essential object: of the invention is to provide .a simple and effective device of this character which may. be readily and easily adjusted, to-adapt it. for use bypersons of different strength, and. to. vary the amount of strength requiredto operate it.

structurally. speaking, the invention consists of an exerciser having relatively movable operating-members adapted tobe engaged by thehands, yielding-means associated with one of said members including a spring, and movable controllingmeans. associated therewith and connected with the othermember,adapted for operation-by a movement of the, members toward each other to compress the spring and bring the movable controllingmeans into alining .position, and locking-means, preferably; provided, which is associated therewith by which the parts-becom'e-locked in alining position.

More specifically speaking, my invention involves adjusting-means for the yieldable means by which it may be adjusted to require a greater or lesser force to compress its spring. It also involves a movable controlling-means consistingof-wone or .more struts adapted to be i arranged between a fixed bearing point and .the yieldable means, and tobe brought into'alining positionby a movement of the hand-engagingmembers toward each other.

*Itflalso involves amovable controllingmeans consisting of a universally jointed element comprising two universally-engaging-strutsnadapted to be normally held by thespring out of alining position oneof said-struts being connected with one of the hand-engaging members, by'which said element may be moved into alining. position upon .movement ofthe two hand-engaging members towardeachiother. The locking.

means may be. associated with the lstrut onstruts, and may be constructed. and arranged to. slide or tobe otherwise moved 111130 engagement with. one ofthe .operatingmembers.

The. above, andother incidental objects of a similar nature, are accomplished byv such means as are illustrated in the drawings, described in the following specification, and thenmore particularly pointedout in .the claimsswhich are appended hereto, and form apart ofithis application.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical .sec-

tion' of an exerciser.- em-bodying this invention. Fig. v2 isa similar view ofa modified form.

.As embodied inv Fig. 1-, theexerciser come prises a hand-engagingmember, shown as a tube 10, helical spring 11, disposed longitudinally in: the tube, an adjusting-screw 12 at. the lower. end of said tube for regulating thetensionf of the spring, a crownpiece. mounted upon. the upper end of said tube, coeacting struts; 1 1 and 15 arranged to form a. universallyejointed element, a bearing-screwzlfi, forthe outer end'of the strut 14, a-bearing-platei 17 for thegouter end of the strut 15, a hand-engaging member 33tarranged on thestrut 14:, preferably incan iadjustable manner, and a lockingplate- 18,; which is: slidably arranged; upon the strut l l and isspring-pressed tomove into engagement withthe upper open end of the tubewhen the hand-engaging members-are manipulated-against the tension of spring 11. to dispose the struts lt-and 15 in vertical alinement, as for-instance, by a movement of. .said members toward 1 each other.

'Thevlower end of the tube 10 is internally threaded to receive the boss-19; of the closure-plug 20, through the center ofwhich is threaded the adjusting-screw 12.: i-The outer. end of thisscrewhas a=wing-l1ead 21, and the. inner end has a reduced stem 22 freely received in a central opening'23f of a circular plate. 241, which is slidable in, the tu'b'e 10. A- collar 25 is secured :by a pin 26 tothelinner end of a screw and serves as anabutnrent for the plate 241. Suitable indicia .are or may be inscribed on the screw so that the user .may readily ascertainthe force, in pounds. which '2 adjustment" of the spring will exert; against. the. alinementi of the.universallyjginted struts. p

The crown-piece comprises an internally threaded collar 27, which is engaged with the exterior threaded end-portion of the tube 10, and a plurality (preferably three) of arcuate arms connected at their upper ends by a boss 28, said boss being disposed in the longitudinal axis of the tube. The bearingscrew 16 is inserted through this boss, and has at its inner end a substan tially conical socket which receives the conical upper end of strut 1%. The lower end of said strut 1st has a conical socket wherein is received the upper end of the strut 15, and the lower end of said strut 15 is also conical and is received in a conical socket formed in the bearing-plate 17, which is normally forced toward the upper end of the tube by the spring 11.

The strut 14 is threaded and received in a threaded sleeve-like socket 29, carried on the end of handle 33. Thus the handle may be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the strut for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained, and a set-screw 30 is provided for holding the handle in adjusted position on the pin. The thread of the strut 14 terminates short of the lower end of the strut to provide a smooth portion 31, upon which the locking-plate 18 is freely slidable. This plate is of a diameter greater than the internal diameter of the tube 10, but has on its under side a boss 32, which is of a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the tube, so that it may freely enter said tube. A weak spring 50 is arranged on the strut 14 between the socketed member 29 and the plate 18 which exerts its force on said plate.

The spring 11 being of expansive type, normally maintains the universally-jointed element broken by holding the struts l4 and 15 out of alinement. The movement of the struts within the tube is universal, and the distance which the engaging ends of the struts may move is limited by the wall of the tube 10.

In operation, the tube 10 and handle 33 are grasped by the two hands of the user, and are then relatively manipulated to bring the struts 14 and 15 into alinement and maintain them in this relation until the locking-plate 18 is moved by its spring 50 to dispose its boss 32 in the upper end of tube 10. As explained, the engagement of the boss 32 in the upper end of the tube will maintain the struts in alinement. The plate 18 may be lifted subsequently by the user so as to unlock or reset the device, whereupon the spring 11 will immediately act to again break the universally-jointed element, since the bearing point of the upper end of strut 15 is relatively unstable.

An essential feature of my invention is that the device may be adjusted for use by persons of differentstrengths in two dif' ferent ways. First, the adjusting-screw 12 may be manipulated to vary the tension of the adjusting-spring. Second, the handle 33 may be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the strut 14 to dispose the socket 29 at different distances from the point of engagement of the two struts, thereby increasing or decreasing the leverage exerted through the handle to oppose the expansion of the spring.

lVhile I prefer to employ the specific structural features herein shown, it is understood that many structural modifications are within the scope of my invention as long as the modified structure embodies two relatively movable hand-engaging members, and a controlling-element and means acting expansively to hold said element normally out of alining position, and adapted to be moved by manipulation of the hand-engaging members.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the exerciser is of somewhat simpler construction and includes essentially a hand-engaging body-tube 35, a crownpiece 36, a strut 37 having its upper end seated for universal movement in a bearingscrew 38, and having its lower end disposed for engagement with a disk 39, which is slidable in the body-tube 35, and is normally urged toward the open end thereof by an expansive helical spring 40. The tension of the spring 40 may be adjusted by a screw 43, equivalent to the adjusting-screw 12 of the preferred form.

In operation the strut is normally held out of alinement with the longitudinal axis of the tube since the locking-plate 18 is in its disengaging position, and the spring acts to cause the lower end of the strut to move toward the wall of the tube. The operating member may, however, be manipulated relative to the body-tube to move the lower end of the strut over the face of the disk, into alinement with the tube, and enable the lock ing-plate to enter the upper open end of the tube.

I claim 1. An exerciser comprising relatively movable operating-members, a movable element controlled by one of the operating-members and movable relative to the other operating member, a fixed universal bearing for one end of the movable element and yieldable means associated with the second-mentioned operating-member and exerting a thrust against the movable element for resisting the movement of the same into alinement with the path of movement of the said means.

2. An exerciser comprising relatively movable operating-members, a fixed bearing, a

movable bearing associated with one of the operating-members, yieldable means acting to move the movable bearing toward the fixed bearing, and a movablemember interposed between said bearings and terminally engaging them, and governed by the other operating-member, said yieldable means acting to normally maintain the movable member in position with its axis at an angle to the path of movement of the movable bearing.

- 3. An exerciser comprising relatively movable operating-members, a fixed hearing associated with one of the operating-members, a movable bearing associated with the first mentioned operating-member and movable relative to the operating-member, a member interposed between the bearings and terminally engaging them, said member being movable with the second operating member, and yieldable means normally forcing the movable bearing toward the fixed bearing whereby the said member is normally yieldably maintained in position with its axis at an angle to the path of movement of the movable bearing.

4. An exerciser comprising relatively movable operating-members, a movable element controlled by one of the operating-members and movable relative to the other operatingmember, a fixed universal bearing for one end of the movable element and yieldable means associated with the second mentioned operating member and exerting a thrust against the movable element for resisting the movement of the same into alinement with the path of movement of the said means, and locking-means effective when the movable element is brought into alining position.

5. An exerciser comprising relatively movable operating-members, a universally j ointed element associated with Said members, and a yieldable means opposing an alining movement of said jointed element.

6. An exerciser comprising relatively movable operating-members, a universally jointed element associated with said members and comprising two universally engagingelements, and a yieldable means borne by one of said members arranged to resist the alinement of the components of the jointed element.

7. An exerciser comprising relatively movable operating members, a universally jointed element associated with said members, and yieldable means including a spring arranged to oppose movement of the jointed elements, and means for adjusting the normal tension of said spring.

8. An exerciser comprising a body-member, an operatingmember. a member slidablv borne by the body-member, a universally jointed element comprising universally engaging struts, to one of which the operating-member is connected, and a yieldable means borne by the body-member and tending to normally, move the same in a direction to maintain the members out of alinement and to oppose the alining of said struts.

9. An exerciser comprising a body-memher, a universally jointed element comprising universally engaging struts, a controlling-member connected to one of the struts, a slidable bearing borne by the body-member for one of the struts, .and a yieldable member acting on the slidable bearing-member to normally maintain the struts out of alinement, and to oppose their movement into alining position,

10. An exerciser comprising a body tube, an expansive spring arranged therein, a crown-piece, a bearing plate slidable in the tube and engaged by the spring, whereby it is normally projected in the direction of the crown-piece, a universally jointed elementin terposed between the crown-piece and bearing-member, and comprising universally engaging struts which are normally held out of alinement by the expansion of the spring, and a controlling-member connected to one of the struts and movable relative to the tube for, moving the struts into alinement against opposition of said spring.

11. An exerciser comprising a bodytube,

an expansive spring arranged therein, a

crown-piece, a bearing plate slidable in the tube and engaged by the spring,'whereby it is normally projected in the direction of the crownpiece, a universally jointed element interposed between the crown-piece and bearing-member, and comprising universally engaging struts which are normally held out of alinement by the expansion of the spring, and a controlling-member connected to one of the struts and movable relative to the tube for moving the struts into alinement against opposition of said spring, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring.

12. An exerciser comprising a body tube, an expansive spring arranged therein, a crown-piece, a bearing-plate slidable in the tube and engaged by the spring, whereby it is normally projected in the direction of the crown-piece, a universally jointed element interposed between the crown-piece and bearing-member, and comprising universally engaging struts which are normally held out of alinement by the expansion of the spring, and a controlling-member connected to one of the struts and movable relative to the tube for moving the struts into alinement against opposition of said spring, and a locking element carried by one of the struts, engageable with the tube for locking the struts in alinement.

18. An exerciser comprising a body tube, an expansive spring arranged therein, a crown-piece, a bearing-plate slidable in the tube and engaged by the spring, whereby it is normally projected in the direction of the crown-piece, a universally jointed element interposed between the crown-piece and bearing-member, and comprising universally engaging struts which are normally held out of alinement by the expansion of the spring, and a controlling-member connected to one of the struts and movable relative to the tube for moving the struts into alinement against opposition of said spring, and means for adjusting the controllingmember longitudinally with respect to its strut.

14. An exerciser comprising a body-tube, an expansive spring arranged therein, a bearing-member slidable in the tube, a crown-piece borne by the tube, a universally jointed element interposed between the crown-piece and the bearing-memher and comprising a pair of universally engaging struts, the outer end of one strut being engaged with the bearing member for universal movement with respect thereto, and a bearing screw carried by the crownpiece for the outer end of the other strut, said struts being normally maintained out of alinement by the expansion of the spring, and a controlling-member connected to one of the struts for moving said struts into alinement against opposition of the spring.

15. An exerciser comprising a body-tube, an expansive spring arranged therein, a bearing-member slidable in the tube, a crown-piece borne by the tube, a universally jointed element interposed between the crown-piece and the bearing-member and comprising a pair of universally engaging struts, the outer end of one strut being engaged with the bearing member for uni versal movement with respect thereto, and a bearing screw carried by the crown-piece for the outer end of the other strut, said struts being normally maintained out of alinement by the expansion of the spring, and a controlling-member connected to one of the struts for moving said struts into alinement against opposition of the spring,

and a locking-element for maintaining the struts in alinement.

16. An exerciser comprising a body-tube, an expansive spring arranged therein, a bearing-member slidable in the tube, a crown-piece borne by the tube, a universally jointed element interposed between the erown-piece and the bearing-member and comprising a pair of universally engaging struts, the outer end of one strut being engaged with the bearing member for universal movement with respect thereto, and a bearing screw carried by the crown-piece for the outer end of the other strut, said struts being normally maintained out of alinement by the expansion of the spring, and a controlling-member connected to one of the struts for moving said struts into alinement against opposition of the spring, and a locking-element for maintaining the struts in alinement, said locking element being slidable upon the strut and being arranged to fall by gravity into locking engagement with the body tube upon the alinement of the struts.

17. An exerciser comprising a tubular body member and operating-memberyieldable means tending to normally hold said members in a predetermined relation and opposing their movement into any other relation, a locking disk associated with said means movable into the open end of the tu bular member to lock said member against the .force of the yieldable means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE WV. SHERIDAN.

Witnesses:

B. J. NoYEs, H. B. DAVIS.

(levies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

